To think this is out of order?

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

The children next door play football all day with their dad. A few times they have knocked on our door to ask for their ball when it has come into our garden. We have chucked it back over, but really they shouldn't be knocking on anyway! We have noticed our garden gate off the latch a couple of times and one time one of our dogs got out! Luckily we noticed in time. We have a husky and a shitzhu who like to play out there.

Today the ball came over when we were sitting in the garden. Before we could chuck it over, the boy next door opened our gate! On seeing us, he ran off, leaving the gate wide open. AIBU in being quite annoyed now? They should not be coming into our garden under normal circumstances and there is also the risk to our dogs!

I wouldn't answer and I certainly wouldnt be touching the ball. Yes they are limited where they can play but everyone has to do there part.

I feel your pain. We've had four years of it. I was sick of them lifting up the fence panels and just letting the kids into the garden to get the balls (my self imposed rule was to throw them back once a day at the end of the day only or I'd be doing it all bastard day) but they'd always do it at a time when I couldn't quite catch them in the act.

Then the summer before last I happened to catch them in the act and shouted at the kids loud enough for the parents to hear "Will you PLEASE stop coming into MY garden" (I do amdram so by god can I project) and it's seemed. To have been successful.

We still throw the balls back but I make sure I thoroughly wash my hands after

Just an update on this - we padlocked the gate, only for neighbour’s child to attempt to scale the fence to retrieve a football! He retreated when he saw our dogs in the garden. I’m really annoyed.

@Farontothemaddingcrowd that is unacceptable. Go and knock on their front door tomorrow and stand well back. Explain to them that you don’t want the kids coming into your garden to get their ball back, that’s all you can do. Or the next time they go to get over the fence, left a good roar out of you!😂

I would get annoyed at the balls coming over. I would want to refuse to constantly have to send them back BUT I would do it. There’s a difference to how you feel vs how you act right?

However not ok to come into the garden when there are dogs. Add a lock or a note and shut that shit down.

I would have gone straight round and knocked. It's simply not acceptable for the child to be coming in to your garden, especially after locking a gate and they are climbing over it. I'd let them know no more balls will be returned.
Interesting what the parents reaction would be if the child fell when climbing, or your dogs didn't like them in the garden.